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FITCHBURG - Democratic candidate for governor Tony Evers said he's open to an increase in the gas tax but discounted an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour or the return of income taxes for state manufacturers.

Evers, the state schools superintendent, announced his challenge to GOP Gov. Scott Walker Wednesday at a suburban Madison park, making him the third Democrat to commit to a bid.

In an interview, Evers said he would focus his campaign on increasing money for schools, uniting state residents and boosting middle-class wages. He backed an increase in the state minimum wage of $7.25 an hour but said the state couldn't reach right away the $15 an hour wage sought by some Democrats.

"I think our economy is too fragile to go right to a $15 minimum wage, but it has to be one of our goals," Evers said.

Evers also downplayed the possibility of repealing a 2011 state law approved by Walker and GOP lawmakers that eliminates nearly all corporate and income taxes on manufacturers.

"It's hard to unring a bell and that's one of them. I think we've boxed ourselves into a corner with all sorts of tax cuts," Evers said.

Evers said if elected he would seek to renegotiate a $3 billion deal to bring an up to 13,000 worker flat screen plant to southeastern Wisconsin. That agreement gives too much money to Foxconn Technology Group and waives too many environmental rules, he said.

The schools superintendent also said he was willing to consider increasing the state's gas tax to bring in money for roads and avoid taking on more state debt. He noted that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) also has talked of using that approach and said he was willing to work with Vos.

State GOP spokesman Alec Zimmerman pointed out that tax cuts signed by Walker would reach $8 billion by June 2019 and said it was troubling that Evers was "talking about raising taxes on our state's hard-working families."

The state GOP is also attacking Evers for a 2014 decision not to revoke the license of Middleton teacher Andrew Harris, who had looked at pornography on a computer at a school there.

Evers has said that he didn't believe he had the legal authority at the time to revoke licenses for such conduct but pointed to his testimony supporting legislation that gave DPI the power to do so going forward.

Two other Democratic candidates for governor already have campaigns up and running: Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik and state Rep. Dana Wachs of Eau Claire.

"Other candidates, both declared and rumored, either look exactly like, or are, the candidates that have been losing state elections since 2010," Wachs campaign manager Jake Hajdu said.

That was a clear reference to Evers and to the past opponents defeated by Walker — Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Madison businesswoman Mary Burke. Evers has responded out that he was born in Plymouth and spent most of his life outside Madison.

Evers also said he would defend women's access to abortion and the rights of workers, though he said it was unlikely the state could undo Walker's 2011 law repealing most collective bargaining for most public employees.

He said he was open to considering legalizing medical marijuana and giving local schools more ability to raise property taxes — something that is currently tightly controlled under state law.

Education is key to economic growth and local school boards are increasingly having to turn to referendums to local voters to raise taxes beyond the state caps, he said.